Collapsible boat



Aug. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-She et 1 Filed 001;. 20, 1950 INVENTOR: TEDDY T. MUR FAY Aug. 10, 1954 T. 'r. MURFAY COLLAPSIBLE BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20. 1950 40 FIG.4

FIG.5

III

v .y g. "nunll h IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STATsEg QFFECE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in col lapsible boats.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of collapsible boat of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,605,970; to provide an improved form of sectionally expansible keel; to provide an improved form of flexible stiffening rib for the covering for securing a boat bottom in place; and to provide an improved collapsible boat of this kind, the overall form of which is less expensive to construct, more secure in its bled form for use as a boat, and easier to assemble and disassemble than the structure shown in the aforesaid patent.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 a perspective view of an improved form of boat constructed in accordance with this invention, the boat being shown in its expanded form for use in the water.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the sectional keel as it is disposed preparatory to being shi ted in position to secure the covering in its stretched form, as shown in. Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional elevation taken on the line 4- of Fig. 1, showing in dotted outline the floor boards in the process of being placed in position.

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged, fragmentary, plan of the bottom of the boat, portions of the tread member and the bottom boards being broken away to more clearly show the forms and connections of the underlying parts.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective showing the form and relative arrangement of stiifening ribs and the attachment thereto of the bottom boards of the boat.

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the opposed ends of the keel whereby the keel sections are secured in their extended axial alinement for stretching the boat covering.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the hook form of the links for the chains which are used to attach the flexible ribs together along the heel and along the gunwales, and.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, crosssec tional View of one of the gunwales, as viewed from the plane of the line a-e of Fig. 2.

The particular embodiment of this invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, comprises reinforced stretchable covering iii, a foldable floor I i, and a sectionalized toggle-like keel 52. These parts are all so formed that when disassembled they may be compactly arranged for storage or transport and subsequently may be easily assembled to form a light but rigid water craft.

The covering it is fabric material reinforced by transverse flexible stiffening ribs 53 and inner and outer gunwale stiffeners Hi. The fabric preferably is canvas which is treated to render it impervious to water. A sheet of such fabric is cut to suitable form and united at the ends so as to appropriately fit around the assembled floor H and the extended keel 52. At points intermediate its ends and transversely thereof the covering it has strips E5 of similar fabric stitched thereto to form pockets to receive the ribs [3. At its ends the covering it has straps is attached for receiving stem and stern posts 41 and 5%, respectively. Along its lateral edges the fabric is folded upon itself (see Fig. 9) to provide pockets it for the gunwale chains 20, which connect the outer ends of the ribs l3, and gunwale stiffeners M.

The stiffening ribs 53 are fiat, spring-metal strips looped at their inner and outer ends to embrace links on the aforesaid gunwale chains 25 and a heel chain 28 disposed longitudinally of the covering It. termediate their ends these ribs 53 are bent to form inwardly disposed. offsets 22, by means of which the floor l! is retained in place. The ribs 13 are inserted in the pocket strips with the rib offsets 22 extending out through openings in said strips, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4.

V-shaped compression springs 23 comprising medial helical coils with angularly disposed arms connected to the ribs it so as to normally spread said ribs apart and expand the covering it to receive the keel i2 and floor i l. The chains 2% and 2! are most clearly indicated in Figs. 5, 8 and 9. Each link is of rectangular form with a hook 2d at one end, which snaps over and pivots on the opposite end of an adjacent link.

The gunwale stififeners M are of a form and material as set forth in the aforesaid patent. These comprise comparatively short pieces of any suitable material, preferably wood. The sections are oppositely hinged together at their ends so as to fold upon one another accordian-like, compact for storage or transport, or to be extended end to end in alineinent for use in reinforcing the gunwalesof the covering It. These stiffeners M are secured along the inner and outer sides of the pockets formed along the lateral edges of the covering lit to house the gunwale chains 26. Inverted U-clips 25 and bolts 26 embrace and connect the gunwale strips i i and ribs. The ends of the gunwale strips i i are connected to the stem and stern posts by fittings iii.

The floor H comprises a pair of side keelsons 21, a plurality of bottom boards 28, and a tread member 29.

Like the gunwale stiffeners ii, the side keelsons may be made up of a number of segments appropriately joined as described in said patent. The outer sides of these side keelsons ii are rounded transversely and curved longitudinally conform to the bottom curvature of the boat at the floor level. As indicated in Figs. 4: and 6, thwe side keelsons rest upon the ribs l3 inwardly of and below the rib offsets 22, with the ends of certain of the bottom boards 28 resting on the side keelsons and releasably interposed betw on. the keelsons ill and the rib offsets 22. As shown Fig. 6, the ribs it extend flatwise between. the keelsons 2i and the offsets 22 overlap the fioor boards so as to resiliently clamp the keelsons and the door boards together in place on the ribs.

As with the construction shown in the aforesaid patent, the fioor boards 23 are of gr .-...ually decreasing length from the center of boat toward the stem and stern. The boards are so dimensioned that every third board overlies stifiening rib is or" the cover ill. board is releasably held in place on the heels '3 2? under the rib offsets 22. As shown in the aforesaid patent, these floor boards may be oppositely hinged together along their lateral ec s so that, as with other similar parts hereinb fore described, they may be folded accordion-like for storage or transport, or extended in alineznent, shown in the drawings.

The tread member 29, like other boat-l th parts, is made up of sections oppositely hi2. so as to fold one upon another or be extended as transport or storage or boat use requires.

The keel l2 comprises two groups of sections 3!, one end of each of which sections, except for the innermost terminal section of group, is formed with a socket 32 into which fits the end of the next adjacent section 3 ll The stem and stern posts H and it are likewise formed at their inner ends with angularly-disposed sockets into which fit the ends of the outer terminal keel sections 3 I. All of these parts preferably ferret. of tubing.

The inner terminal sections ill of the keel l2 have their opposed ends enlarged, as shown at 33, and bifurcated to receive a link. 35, by which the two groups of keel sections M are extended locked into axial relationship, for stretching covering ill. The link 3 is pivoted to the respec* tive inner terminal keel sections Si by pins ii. Bolts 35, with wing nuts 35 (see Fig. '7), secure the link 3% to the bifurcated ends as of the op posed keel sections st for holding the two groups of keel sections in axial alinement.

As with the construction disclosed in the aiore' said patent, this boat may be provided with the usual air-inflated sponsons 371, one or more seats 38, and oar locks 38.

The sponsons ii are arranged along the sides of the covering it approximately at the water line. They are provided with suitable valve for the attachment of inflating means. Such spon sons serve to stabilize the boat and render it practically non-sinkable.

The seats 38 are usually in the form of planks, to the ends of which are attached hooks which set over the gunwales, as shown in Fig.

The car blocks are of usual construction, bein set in suitable sockets on the gunwales to permit their turning.

The boat assembled by spreading out the cor-- ering iii, the stiffening ribs it being permanently Each s ch w retained in the pocket strips l5 and the springs 23 tending to spread the ribs apart. The stern and stern posts l? and it are inserted under the straps it, whereupon the two groups of sections of the keel ii are assembled with the ends of the outer terminal sections 35 set in the socket ends 32 of the stern and stem posts El and is and oppositely disposed angularly to the normal longitudinal axis or" the boat, as shown in Fig. 3. The link 34 has the pivot pins Ill inserted to secure the link to the opposed ends of the inner terminal keel sections 35, whereupon the two groups of keel sections are pressed down radially into axial alinement. This stretches the covering iii, which stretching is facilitated by the tendency of the springs 23 to push the stiffening ribs it into the fartherest possible spaced relationship with each other. The two groups of keel sections are secured in such axial alinernent by the insertion of the bolts 3% and the tightening up of the wing nuts 3%. Such stretching of the covering it brings the lateral portions of the covering 4 ll into transverse gunwale position with respect to the bottom portion of the covering The gunwale stifieners M are attached along the inner and outer sides of the pockets l9 and secured by the clips 25 and bolts 2&3. (See Fig. 9.) The ends of the gunwale strips M are secured to I the stem and stern posts by the fittings At this stage of the assembling operation the resilient spring ribs expand the covering is to a rough approximation of the boats shell form. The final shell contour is established by the side keelsons 2'5 their relation to the keel 52, the stem post ll and the stern post is.

The side keelsons 2'! are then unfolded and laid in place on the covering it with their ends abutting against the stem and stern posts and their sides pushed down below the rib oi fsets Next the floor boards as are unfolded and one end of each board which is to overlie a transverse flexible rib is is set in place on top or" one of the keelsons El under the opposed rib ofisets 22 (see Fig. l). The opposite ends of the respective boards, overlying the stiffening ribs it, are pressed down against the rib ofisets 22, which due to the cam formation of their upper portions, yield sufiiciently to permit the ends to underpass the offset and rest upon other keelson 271', the lower portions of these rib oii ets 22 forming shoulders for holding the respective boards in place, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

These operations completed, the tread board 29 is placed on the floor boards 28 and fastened thereto by suitable means, such for example as shown in my said patent, after which the seat or seats 38 and oar locks 35! may be placed in position.

When the boat is to be disassembled for storage or transport, the foregoing procedure is substan tially reversed. First, the tread member 29 is removed and folded. The fittings are next removed. Thereupon the gunwale stiffeners i i are removed and folded. The removal of the gunwale stiifeners it relaxes the covering lb so that the rib offsets 22 along one side of the floor boards 28 may be the more easily shifted to disengage one end or the floor boards and permit them to be removed and subsequently folded for storage or transport. After removing the keelsons 2?, the bolts 35 are removed from the keel i2, whereupon the groups of keel sections may be shifted to their angular position as shown in Fig. 3, thereby permitting their removal from the stem and stern posts I1 and I 8 and. their further disassembling.

With the removal of the stem and stem posts I! and I8 from the straps 16, the covering 10 may be folded upon itself and rolled into compact form. Many of these folded parts may be tied together, making a small number of bundles for storage or transport.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of the appended claim.

I claim:

A collapsible boat comprising a flexible fabric covering shaped to form the shell of the boat, a series of transverse ribs attached to said covering and each comprising a flat strip of spring metal, side keelsons seated on said ribs, a floor comprising boards resting on said keelsons and spanning the space between said ribs, certain such ribs at each side of the boat having permanently set V-shaped inwardly offset bends each comprising a downwardly facing shoulder portion positioned to overlie the top of said floor boards and an upwardly facing inclined cam portion leading to such shoulder portion, said shoulder portions being adapted to hold said floor boards against said keelsons and said cam portions being adapted to cause said ribs to yield to permit said floor boards to be sprung into place below said shoulders when pushed down over said cam portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 234,164 Armstrong Nov. 9, 1880 670,942 Traub Apr. 2, 1901 1,605,970 Murfay Nov. 9, 1926 2,580,465 Rome Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,362 Great Britain of 1907 213,896 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1924 116,500 Germany Jan. 2, 1901 429,139 Germany May 18, 1926 

